CHAPTER XI.
ON THE HUNT.
"Isn't that _The Hawk_?"
It was Jack who spoke. He had left his engine and made his way aft, forhe had caught sight of another craft in the distance.
Frank peered ahead.
"I should say it was built along the same lines as _The Hawk_," hereplied, "but what's the matter with her?"
Something was wrong, as both boys could see. The craft ahead, whether_The Hawk_ or not they could not yet distinguish, was plainly indistress. She wallowed in the sea, apparently without a hand to guideher.
"Something wrong aboard, sure," declared Frank. "Little more speed,Jack."
Jack sprang back to his engine and soon the motorboat was dashingthrough the water at full speed.
Jack left the engine to run itself and made his way forward as far aspossible, where he stood gazing at the craft ahead. At last he was ableto make out the name of the craft.
"_The Hawk_!" he cried.
It was _The Hawk_ and she was plainly in distress. As the boys drewnearer, they were unable to make out a sign of life aboard.
"Maybe they have all been washed overboard," Frank called to Jack.
Jack made no reply. He had begun to fear so himself.
Suddenly he uttered a loud cry.
"I can see some one aboard," he cried. "He's stretched out on the deck.Looks like he might be dead."
"Who is it?" Frank shouted back.
"I can't make out yet."
He peered forward eagerly and anxiously; and five minutes later he criedout again:
"It's Smith."
Smith was another of the crew.
"Can you see Lord Hastings?" shouted Frank.
"No."
The two craft were less than a hundred yards apart now and still Jackcould make out but a solitary figure aboard, that of Smith, stretchedout at full length aft.
The boys closed up the remaining distance quickly and the two boatsscraped alongside each other. Pausing only long enough to lash the twotogether, Frank and Jack sprang aboard _The Hawk_.
Quickly they glanced about. There was Smith and no one else in sight.Frank stooped over him.
"He's breathing," he said.
He hurried to the side of the boat, and leaning over, filled his capwith water. This he sprinkled in Smith's face and the man stirred.
Jack, in the meantime, had gone into the little cabin and a startled crynow came to Frank's ears.
He hurried to his friend; and there, in the cabin, the boy stood overthe prostrate form of their commander. The latter lay still and whiteand Frank stared at him with a great fear in his heart.
"Is he dead?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.
"I don't know," said Jack slowly. "He doesn't seem to be breathing."
Frank knelt down and placed a hand over Lord Hastings' heart.
"Yes, he is," he cried excitedly. "His heart is beating. Water, quick!"
Jack dashed away in response to this command and was back in a momentwith his cap filled with water.
This he poured over his commander, while Frank bathed his head; and soonthese efforts were rewarded.
Lord Hastings stirred, breathed a long sigh and moaned. Five minuteslater he opened his eyes and tried to sit up.
"Lie still, sir," commanded Frank.
Lord Hastings let his eyes rest on the lad's face, tried to saysomething, attempted to move, then fell back with a long sigh.
Again Frank was alarmed. He bent over his commander and placed a handover his heart. Then he arose with an exclamation of satisfaction.
"He's sleeping," he said. "Let's get to shore as soon as possible."
Jack hurried away. First he returned to the other craft and assistedEdwards aboard _The Hawk_. Then he went to the engine, Frank took thewheel and they headed for Bantry Bay at full speed.
It was still before noon when they entered the bay and came to anchor inthe midst of the motorboat fleet. The lads had Lord Hastings removedashore immediately and listened to the diagnosis of the surgeon withbated breath.
"Nothing serious," said the surgeon, much to the lads' relief. "He'sbeen knocked unconscious in some way. Something must have struck him ahard blow across the head. All he needs is perfect quiet for a week."
"He'll get it," declared Jack, "if I have to sit on him for that lengthof time."
"And if I have to help you hold him down," Frank agreed.
For the next week the boys gave their undivided attention to caring fortheir wounded commander. Each day, after the first, Lord Hastings grewstronger. On the third day he wanted to get up, but the surgeon wouldnot hear of it.
"Seven days in bed," he declared. "Not a second less; and two more daysbefore you can move about much."
"Yes, but look here, Doc," said Lord Hastings. "I've work to do. I'vegot to get back into harness."
"And two weeks exactly before you can get back in harness," declared theman of medicine.
From this ultimatum he would not swerve.
At the end of the first week Lord Hastings was for disregarding thesurgeon's orders and getting back into harness anyhow; but Jack andFrank would not hear of it.
"Might just as well get well, first, sir," declared Jack.
Lord Hastings glared at him.
"How about you?" he demanded. "How would you like to stay around likethis doing nothing? You couldn't sit here for five minutes. I know you."
"You may be right, sir," agreed Frank. "But you are older than I am,sir, and should have more patience and fortitude."
Lord Hastings was forced to smile at this rejoinder.
"You see, sir," said Frank, "I can remember some of the things you havesaid to me."
"I see," agreed Lord Hastings. "I guess, then, that I shall have toremain here, if for no other reason than to set a good example for you."
"That's right, sir," declared Jack. "If you didn't, there would be noliving with Frank."
"Oh, I don't know," said the latter. "I can remember one time when youwere in bad shape that I had to threaten to lick you to keep you inbed."
"Well, that's different," said Jack. "I----"
"Well, let's talk about something cheerful," said Lord Hastings."Germans or anything like that."
And so the conversation was changed.
When the two weeks had come to an end Lord Hastings proceeded to getback in harness immediately.
"I've been here long enough," he told the boys. "Back to _The Hawk_again now."
And back to _The Hawk_ they went that day.
Aboard _The Hawk_ Lord Hastings made a careful inspection and then leftthe lads, while he held an interview with the British commanding officerin charge of the motorboat flotilla. When he returned he had a smile onhis face.
"Good news," he said, as he came aboard.
"What, sir?" asked Frank.
"Action to-night, sir?" demanded Jack.
"Better than that--for you boys," replied Lord Hastings. "Action, and atonce."
"Where?" asked Frank.
"Around the same neighborhood we were in before."
"Good," declared Jack.
"And more important prey, this time," continued Lord Hastings.
"Submarines?" asked Jack.
"Well, that's what we expect," replied Lord Hastings. "We hope to befortunate enough to find one or two."
"When do we start, sir?" demanded Frank.
"As soon as the _Glasgow_ comes along."
"The _Glasgow_, sir? You mean the steamship _Glasgow_?"
"Exactly. It appears that passengers have been warned not to takepassage on the _Glasgow_. A warning has been circulated through thenewspapers, the same as was done before the _Lusitania_ sailed and wassunk. This naturally leads to the belief that the Germans are planningto torpedo the _Glasgow_. We are to be on hand to see that this does nothappen."
"I see, sir," replied Frank. "Is it just _The Hawk_, sir?"
"Well, no," replied Lord Hastings. "_The Hawk_ and nine othermotorboats."
"A reg
ular fleet," remarked Jack. "I suppose the idea is for us to trailin behind the _Glasgow_?"
"Exactly. You see the submarine, nine times out of ten, lying in waitfor its victim, will come to the surface a short distance ahead of thesteamer. Now, in view of the furore that the sinking of the _Lusitania_caused in neutral countries, it is hardly to be expected the _Glasgow_will be torpedoed without warning."
"But just how do we get at the enemy, sir?" demanded Frank.
"I'm coming to that. When the submarine comes to the surface and giveswarning for passengers and crew to leave the ship, we shall sneak outfrom behind at full speed. Before the submarine can submerge, we shallbe close enough to get her. That's why we carry such heavy guns. One ofus is bound to get her."
"I see," said Frank. "Of course if the submarine could submerge in amoment, it wouldn't be possible."
"Exactly," agreed Lord Hastings.
He led the way to the rail.
"See," he said, waving a hand in the direction of the others of themotorboat fleet, "they are all getting ready for action."
It was true. There were signs of great activity aboard some of the otherlittle vessels. "Just overhauling to see that everything is shipshape,"said Lord Hastings. "We may as well do the same."
The next hour was spent in minute inspection of every part of the littlecraft and then Lord Hastings pronounced himself satisfied.
Hardly was the work completed, when Frank perceived a dark smudge uponthe distant horizon.
"Vessel of some kind, sir," he reported to Lord Hastings.
Lord Hastings gazed long and earnestly; and directly the shape of alarge ship loomed up.
"The _Glasgow_," he said quietly. "All ready, boys. Time to get busy."
Boy Allies Under the Sea; Or, The Vanishing Submarines Page 11